The United States, Japan and South Korea Wednesday declared that "meaningful" denuclearization is the only way for Pyongyang to engage in better ties with the three countries.
After concluding a trilateral meeting in Washington this week, the three countries said, "We agreed a path is open for the DPRK (North Korea) toward improved relations with the United States, Japan and the ROK (South Korea) if the DPRK takes meaningful steps on denuclearization," according to Xinhua news agency.
"We reaffirmed our commitment to the Sep. 19, 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks, including its core goal of the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner," said the U.S. State Department in a statement.
"We will judge the DPRK by its actions, not its words," said the statement.
North Korea's National Defense Commission last Sunday proposed high-level talks with the U.S. government emphasizing no "preconditions" in a bid "to defuse tension and realize regional peace and security on the Korean Peninsula".
The Obama administration has been receptive to Pyongyang's offer of high level talks but again Washington reminded the Pyongyang government that "scrapping of its nuclear weapons" must be the central topic of the talks.
"Those talks have to be real. They have to be based on them living up to their obligations, to include on proliferation, on nuclear weapons, on smuggling and other things," said Denis McDough, the chief of staff of the Obama administration.
Following North Korea's nuclear and missiles tests in recent months, Pyongyang has been warned by the United Nations and the Obama administration.
The three countries emphasized full implementation of the U.N. Security Council resolutions on the Pyongyang government, according to the U.S. Statement department.
"We also look forward to continuing to engage with China, Russia and other key partners on the DPRK," said the department.
